Interleaver



t- 28, 1930- A. B'ROADMEYER 1,779,300

INTERLEAVER Filed Dec. '51, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet l Jwomtoz riager Emma/vans? Oct. 28, 1930. BRQADMEYER 1,779,800

INTERLEAVER Filed Dec. 31, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Akazer Ema/warez? Oct. 28, 1930.

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I N'IERLEAVER Filed Dec. 31, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 E in 44544-7- Baa/ravens:

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a series of sheets and at Patented Oct. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT BROADMEYER, OF

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO W. O. HICKOK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OI HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA IN TERLEAVER Application filed December 31, 1928. Serial No. 329,597.

In Letters Patent N 0. 1,709,044, patented to me April 16, 1929, there is disclosed an interleaving apparatus, to-witmechanism for delivering into a layboy or other receiver intervals interposing other sheets. In that apparatus the feeding of the interleaved or. interposed sheets is determined by the mechanism which feeds the other sheets. It may happen, however,

that the supply of sheets being fed becomes happen that the sheets exhausted, but the mechanism for delivering the interleaving sheets will continue to operate because the initial feeding mechanism may continue in operation or it may constituting the main supply become lodged or their delivery otherwise obstructed and still the interleaving mechanism will continue to function.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel mechanism for controlling the delivery of the interleaving sheets by the other sheets being fed, so that if the supply of sheets fails from any cause tobe delivered into the lay-boy or other receiver, the interleaving sheets will not be fed. On the other hand when the mechanism again functions and, when the desired number of sheets is reached, the interleaving mechanism will operate irrespective of the time that the first supply has failed and irrespective of Whether or not the feeding mechanism there for has continued in operation. The result is that a much more accurate interleaving mechanism is provided.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of the novel interleaving mechanism.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View. Figure 4 is a detail view in elevation of the valve controlling mechanism for the interleaving suction' feeder.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the valve operating link and its support. Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the link carrying arm and its support.

Figure 7 is a detail view in elevation of the ratcheting mechanism and overthrow preventing device prior to an operation thereof.

Figure 8 is the position of of an operation.

Figure 9 is a detail view showing the motion-transmitting link in its active position.

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional View through the controlling valve for the suction feeder head.

Figure 11 is a view in elevation of the suction relief mechanism for the valve actuating motor.

Figure 12 is a sectional view on the line 1212 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the various structural features in as sociated relation.

It will be understood that the sheets of the main body are fed successively from any suitable source, and are carried in succession by a conveyor, comprising endless tapes 14 to a guideway 15. This guideway directs the sheets between upper and lower endless belts 16, and said belts in turn deliver them to a layboy or other receiver, designated generally by the reference numeral 17. So far the structure is substantially that shown in the aforesaid Letters Patent 1,709,044.

The conveyor cords 14 pass around rollers 18 journaled in a suitable supporting frame 19 that carries the guiding means 15, and the rollers 20 and 21 around which the conveyor tapes 16 pass. The receiver or lay boy 17 is in the form of a table 22 that is lowered as the pile of sheets increases. Suitable rear and side walls 23 are provided for positioning the sheets.

In the front portion of the frame and beneath the conveyor cords 14 is a vertically movable pile supporting table 24, which is adapted to be elevated automatically by any well known means, as the sheets are delivered therefrom. This table supports a pile of sheets 25 that are the interleaving sheets, said sheets being periodically removed and directed by rollers 26 to a guideway 27 that directs them between the tapes 16 and thus to the layboy. The sheets are removed from the determined take side of a pump 30 is connected to the suction feed roller 28, and in said conduit is a valve casing 31 having a transversely disosed 0 en ended valve chamber or bore 32. said ore is a reciprocatory plunger valve 33 having a reduced portion, forming an annular channel 34. Said valve also has a longitudinal bore 35 opening through one end and rovided with a port 36. The valve is mova 1e to a positionto cause the port 36 to communicate with the section of the conduit 29 that is connected to the pump 30, and thus vents said pump to atmosphere. The valve is also movable to a position to cut off said port 36 from communication with the pump and bring the groove 34 to a position to afford comunication through the valve casing between the sections of the conduit 29 connected to opposite sides of the same, whereupon the pump 30 is in communication with the suction feed roller 28." The movement of the valve in one direction is limited by a stop collar 37 mounted on one end of the same. The other end of said valve has a pivotal connection 38 with a lever 39 fulcrumed at one end, as shown at 40. Upon the operation of the lever 39 in one direction, the valve is moved to open position. A spring 41, surrounding the valve and operating against a Washer 42 thereon, serves to move the valve in the opposite or to a closed position, in which the pump is vented to atmosphere.

For the purpose of operating the valve a suction motor is employed. This motor comprises a cylinder 43 in which is located a piston 44 having a piston rod 45 projecting from one end of the cylinder. Surrounding the projecting, portion of the piston rod is a coiled spring 46 hearing against an abutment washer 47 and serving to hold the piston at one end of the cylinder 43. The piston rod has a link connection 48 with an actuating lever 49 journaled on a post 50 mounted on one side of the frame. The lever 49 has pivoted to its upper portion a dog 51 held in a depressed position by a spring 52. Under certain conditions this dog is ada ted to engage a hook 53 carried by a lin 54. One end of the link has journaled thereon a roller 55 that bears against the lever 39 and the roller is adapted to ride along the lever accordingly as the end of the link is raised or lowered. The upward movement of such link is limited by a stop finger 56 secured to the top of the lever 39. The link 54 is pivoted, as. shown at 57 to a supporting arm 58, pivotof the suction roller 28 is nism is employed.

rotated, the lug 72 will be ed at its lower end as shown at 59 to a bracket 1 60. As shown particularly in Figure 6", the swingingmovement of by a pin 61 carried by a collar 62 fast to the pivot 59 and engaged in a notch-or slot 63 formed in the hub of the arm 58. A leaf spring 64fast to a collar 65 on the end of the ivot pin 59 bears against a pin 66 projectmg from theupper end of the arm 58 and servesto norma ly hold the arm 58 and consequently the link 54 in its rearmost posidog 51. If the lin is elevated, however, the

hook 53 is brought into the path of the free end of said do 51 and consequently when the piston 44 o the suction motor is operated, the link 54 will be moved longitudinally,

the lever 39 will be moved, and the valve 33 pushed to its open position.

For the purpose of elevating the link 54 to its active position the following mecha-. A sprocket wheel 70 is journaled in the post 50 and carries an endless sprocket chain 71. This sprocket chain is provided with one or more outstanding lugs 72. The link 54 rests upon the sprocket chain, and consequently if said s rocket wheel is rought beneath the link 54, as shown in Figure 9, thereby elevating the link and bringing the hook 53 into the path of the yoke 51. The sprocket wheel 70 is secured to a hub 73 extending through the lever 49, and having on the inner side of said lever a air of reverse ratchet wheels 74 and 75. pawl 76, pivoted on the lever 49, operates on the teeth.of the ratchet wheel 74 and consequently upon the operation of the piston 44, the ratchet wheel 74 and the sprocket wheel 70 will be turned. The other ratchet wheel 75 has coacting therewith an overthrow preventing pawl 77 located below the same and pivoted, as shown at 78, on the frame of the machine. This pawl 77 has fixed to it an arm 79 provided on its upper side with a cam track 80. An extension 81 of the lever 49 below the post 50 is provided with a roller 82 that rides the cam track 80.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8 ordinarily the overthrow preventing pawl 77 is en aged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 75. hen the lever 49 is actuated by the piston 44, the roller 82 will ride on the cam track and force said pawl 77 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 75, after whlch the pawl 76 will engage behind one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 74 and turn said wheel an increment. As this increment of movement reaches its limit, the roller 82 will have moved the arm 58 is limited tion. The link 54 is moreover yieldingly held path of movement .of the sufficiently over the cam track to permit the pawl 77- to engage behind the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 75, and prevent its further movement. The spring 46 reacting against the piston 44 will return the parts for a successive movement.

For the purpose of actuating the piston 44 there is provided an air pump 83, to the in take side of which is connected a conduit 84 leading to the end of the cylinder 43 opposite to that from which the piston rod 45 projects. This conduit extends on to an intake head 85 located in the open end of a suction relief cylinder 86 that is rotatabl mounted over the conveyor tapes 14 (see igure 2). This cylinder is provided with peripheral relief ports 87 which move into and out of communication with a slot 88 formed in the head. The head 85 and the slot 88, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, are at the lower side of the cylinder. The cylinder 86 is mounted on a shaft 89 extending across the frame and carried in boxes 90 that are slidably mounted on tracks 91 secured longitudinally on the side bars of the frame. These boxes can be held in any desired positions by set screws 92. The boxes also carry a cross rod 93 engaged by an arm 94 that supports the head 85. The cylinder 86 has a surface speed equal to that of the conveyor cords 14, and is correspondingly driven therewith by means of endless belts 95 engaged in grooves 96 in the cylinder head, said belts passing around the upper roller 18 and carried by a cross shaft 98. The relief suction ports 87 of the cylinder 86 at the lower side of the cylinder where they communicate with the slot 88 are so disposed that they will be traversed by the sheets carried by the conveyor tapes 14.

The 0 eration of the lows. heets slightly spaced apart are delivered to the conveyor tapes l4 and are carried successivel thereby to the guideway 15 and thence by the band 16 to the receiver 17. The pumps 30 and 83 are in operation. Consequently air will flow through the lower portion of the conduit 29 from atmosphere through the closed valve 33 by means of the bore 35 and port 36. There is also an inflow of air through the conduit 84, the ports 87 of the relief cylinder 86 successivel alining with the slot 88, and permitting t e inflow of air to the conduit 84. When, however, a sheet passes beneath the cylinder 86, it will close the ports 87 as they aline with the slot 88 and prevent its inflow of air. A partial vacuum is immediately created in the conduit 84, unbalacing the pressure in the cylinder 43 sufficiently to cause the piston 44 to move inwardly against the action of the spring 46. This swings the actuating lever 49 to the right and causes an increment of movement of the ratchet wheels 74 and 75 and of the sprocket wheel 7 0. When the sheet passes the apparatus is as fol- 'to an idler roller 97.

suction relief cylinder 86 air is again admitted to the conduit 84, whereupon the spring 46 reacts and the lever 49 returns to the left. The succeeding sheet repeats the operation. It thus occurs that after a predetermined number of sheets have assed the suction relief cylinder 86, the lug 2 will be brought tov a position beneath the link 54 and raise said link. Heretofore the dog 51 has passed the hook 53 and the valve 33 has been idle, but when the link is raised, upon the next operation of the actuating lever 49, the dog 51 will engage the hook 53, push the link. 54 to the right, which will swing the lever 39 in a corresponding direction and move the valve 33 to a position to cut off the vent port 35 and bring the groove 34 to a position to aflord communication between the pump 30 and the suction feed roller 28. When suction thus takes place in the roller 28, the topmost sheet of the pile 25 is picked up thereby and delivered to the rollers 26. These rollers pass it on through the guideway 27 to the tape 16 and the sheet is then delivered into the receiver 17. As long as the mechanism is in operation this cyclev of movements will take place.

It will be noted that the operation of the interleaving feeder is dependent on the sheets delivered by the conveyor and that every time the proper number of sheets is carried past the controlling device the interleaving feeder acts to feed an interleaving sheet. It makes no diflerence whether the feed of sheets stops from any cause and whether the mechanism continues to operate, not until the quota of sheets is supplied will the interleaver act. Obviously the operation of the interleaving feeder can be varied by supplying a number of the lugs 72 or by varying t e length of the chain carrying the same, or hot From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is 1. In apparatus of the the combination with a ing sheets in succession, of a sheet feeding mechanism, and means controlled by the sheets so carried for causing the operation of the sheet feeding mechanism to effect the feeding of a sheet thereby when a predetermined number of sheets have been carried by the conveyor.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a conveyor for carrying sheets in succession, of a sheet feeding character set forth, conveyor for carrying sheets in succession,

ing of a sheet thereby when a mechanism, means controlled by the sheets so carried for causing the operation of the sheet feeding mechanism to effect the feedpredetermined number of sheets have been carried by the conveyor, and'means for directing the sheets thus fed into association with the sheets trans orted by said conveyor.

3. n apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a conveyor for carryof a pneumatic sheet feeding device, and pneumatic mechanism for intermittently throwing said device into operation including a controlling member traversed by the sheets carried by the conveyor and controlled by said sheets.

4. In apparatus of t e character set forth, the combination with a conveyor for carrying sheets in succession, of a pneumatic sheet feeding device, a valve controlling the operation of said feeding device, a motor, means for actuating the motor and controlled by the sheets carried by the conveyor and means operated by the motor for controlling the opening of the valve to effect the operation of the sheet feeding device.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a conveyor for carrying sheets in succession, of a pneumatic sheet feeding device, a valve controlling the operation of said feeding device, a motor, means for actuating the motor and controlled by the sheets carried by the conveyor, means operatedby the motor for controlling the openingof the valve .to effect the operation of the sheet feeding device, and means for directing the sheets fed by the feeding means into association with the sheets carried by the conveyor.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a conveyor for carrying a series of sheets in succession, of means for supporting an assemblage of sheets, a

feeder for successively removing sheets therefrom, means for directing the sheets fed by the feeder into association with the sheets carried by the conveyor, and mechanism controlled by a predetermined number of sheets carried by the conveyor for efiecting the operation of the feeder.

7 In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a conveyor for carrying a series of sheets in succession, of a receiver for said sheets, means for supporting an assemblage of sheets below the conveyor, a feeder for successively removing sheets therefrom, means for directing the sheets fed by the feeder into the receiver, and mechanism controlled b a redetermined number of sheets carried by the conveyor for effecting the operation of the feeder. g

8. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a lay boy for receiving and piling sheets, of a conveyor for delivering sheets in succession thereto, a support for a pile of sheets, successively fromthe pile, means for direct- 'ing the latter sheets to the layboy to be interposed between the sheets delivered by the cona feeder for removing sheets veyor, and means controlled by a predetermined number of sheets carried by the conveyor to automatically effect the operation of Y the feeder the pile.

9. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a penumatic sheet feedand cause it to feed a sheet from er, of a valve for controlling the operation the combination with a pneumatic sheet feeder, of a valve for controlling the operation thereof, an actuating lever, a link for transmitting motion from the lever to the valve, said link being movable to and from a positionto transmit such motion, means for effecting an intermittent operation of the lever, and means for effecting a movement of the link upon a predetermined number of operations of the lever.

11. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a pneumatic sheet feeder, of a valve for controlling the operation thereof, an actuating lever, a link for transmitting motion from the lever to the valve, said link being movable to and from a position to transmit such motion, means for effecting an intermittent operation of the lever, and means actuated by the lever for effecting a movement of the link upon a predetermined number of operations of the lever.

12. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a pneumatic sheet feeder, of a valve thereof, a lever connected to the valve, an actuating lever, a link for connecting the levers to cause one to operate the other and thereby the valve, said link being movable between an active and an inactive position for the purpose, and a mechanism operated by the actuating lever for periodically moving the link to its active position.

13. In apparatus of the character set forth,

the combination with a pneumatic sheet feeder, of a valve for controlling the operation thereof, a lever connected to the valve, an actuating lever, a link for connecting the levers to cause one to operate the other and thereby the combination with a pneumatic sheet feeder, of a valve. for controllin the operation thereof, a lever connected to t e valve, an actuating lever, a link for connecting the levers to cause one to operate the other and thereby the valve, said link being movable between an active and an inactive position for the purpose, an endless cable carrying a device that is movable to and from a position to move the link to its active position, and ratchet mechanism operated by the actuating lever for moving said cable. 7

15. In apparatus of the character set fort the combination with a support for an assemblage of sheets, of a suction feeding head for removing sheets from the pile, means for creating suction in the head, a valve controlling such suction, a suction motor, means for creating suction in said motor, means for controlling the suction in the motor, and mechanish operated by the motor to open the valve and create suction in the feeder head.

16. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for an assemblage of sheets, of a suction feeding head for removing sheets from the pile, means for creating suction in the head, a valve controlling such suction, a suction motor, means for creating suction in said motor, means for controlling the suction in the motor, and mechanism operated by the motor upon a predeter-.- mined number of operations thereof to open iclhe dvalve and create suction in the feeder 17. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for as assemblage of sheets, of a suction feeding head for removing sheets from the pile, means for creating suction in the head, a valve controlling such suction, a suction motor, means for creating suction in said motor, means for controlling the suction in the motor, a lever actuated by the .motor, a ratchet mechanism operated by the lever, and means controlled by the ratchet mechanism for opening the valve on a predetermined number of opera tions of the motor.

18. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for an assemblage of sheets, of a suction feeding head for removing sheets from the pile, means for creating suction in the head, a valve controlling such suction, a suction motor, means for creating suction in said motor, means for controlling the suction in the motor, a lever actuated by the motor, a ratchet mechanism operated by the lever, a link for transmitting motion from the lever to the valve, and movable between an active and an inactive position, and means moved by the ratchet mechanism for moving the link to an active position.

19. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for an assemblage of sheets, of a suction feeding head for removing sheets from the pile, means for creating suction in the head,,a valve control- 'valve, a pivotally supported link for transmitting motion from one lever to the other, said link being movable between an active and an inactive position, a ratchet mechanism operated by the first lever, and a support for the link operated by the ratchet mechanism and movable thereby to and from a position to position the link for transmitting movement between the levers.

20. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a layboy, of a conveyor for delivering sheets successively to the lay boy in which they are piled, a pile supporting table, a suction feeder head for removing sheets therefrom, means for delivering the latter sheets to the layboy to be interleaved with those'delivered by the conveyor, means for creating suction in the head, a valve controlling such suction, a suction motor, means for creating suction in the motor, a ventdevice for preventing the creation of such sucti'on, said vent device being traversed by the sheets carried by the conveyor to successively cut off the vent and thereby effect successive operation of the motor, and means actuated by the motor for effecting a periodic opening movement of the valve.

21. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a layboy, of a conveyor for delivering sheets successively to.

the layboy in which they are piled, a pile supporting table, a suction feeder head for removing sheets therefrom, means for delivering the latter sheets to the layboy to be interleaved With those delivered by the conveyor, means for creating suction in the head, a valve controlling such suction, a suction motor, means for creating suction in the motor, a vent device for preventing the creation of such suction, said vent device being traversed by the sheets carried by the conveyor to successively cut off the vent and thereby effect successive operations of the motor, an actuating lever for the valve, a link for transmitting motion from the lever to the valve and movable between an active and an idle position, ratchet mechanism operated by the motor, and a positioning device for the link moved by the ratchet mechanism on a predetermined number of movements thereof to place the link in its active position.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

ALBERT BROADMEYER. 

